Method and system for the infrared analysis of gases

ABSTRACT

A dual path analyzer and a single path analyzer are disclosed, each for determining the concentration of one or more gaseous components in a mixture of gases. The preferred analyzer is a single path instrument which includes a source of infrared energy, a detector for the energy, a sample cell for the gas mixture positioned between the source and detector, and a filter wheel having a plurality of filters and a source blocking device positioned between the sample cell and detector for sequentially interposing the filters and the source blocking device between the source and the detector. Means are provided for amplifying the output signal of the detector and for processing the signal to provide a direct readout display which indicates the concentration of the gaseous components being analyzed. The processing electronics preferably include provision for calibrating the analyzer with clean ambient air, for compensating for background levels of radiation, and for correcting the displayed output signal for the effects of absorption band interferences between two or more gases in the gas mixture. The structure of the dual path analyzer includes a source of infrared energy, a detector for the energy, a sample cell for the gas mixture, a cell for a reference gas, and optical path means between the source and detector for sequentially directing the source energy through the sample cell, the reference cell, and through neither cell. Processing electronics similar to the single path instrument can be incorporated to compensate for background radiation and absorption band interferences.

United States Patent Sternberg et al. June 3, 1975 METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR THE INFRARED ANALYSIS OF GASES [57] ABSTRACT [75] Inventors: Stanley P. Sternberg, Ypsilanti; A dual path analyzer and a single path analyzer are James E. Young, Detroit; John W. disclosed, each for determining the concentration of Lennington, Ypsilanti, all of Mich. one or more gaseous components in a mixture of gases. The preferred analyzer is a single path instru- [73] Asslgnee Berg'shagen & Assocmtes Mlch' ment which includes a source of infrared energy, a de- [22] Filed: Nov. 29, 19 73 tector for the energy, a sample cell for the gas mixture positioned between the source and detector, and a fil- [21] Appl' 420305 ter wheel having a plurality of filters and a source Related U.S. Application Data blocking device positioned between the sample cell [60] Division of Ser. No. 281,958, Aug. 18, 1972, Pat. No. and detector for sequential) interposing the filters 3,790,798,which isacontinuation-in-part of Ser, No. and the Source blocking device between the Source 178,260, Sept. 17, 1971, which is a and the detector. Means are provided for amplifying continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 809,752, March 24, the output signal of the detector and for processing 1969, abandonedthe signal to provide a direct readout display which indicates the concentration'of the gaseous compo- U.S. ngnts being analyzed The processing electronics pref. [51] Int. Cl. GOln 21/26 bl i l de ovision for calibrating the analyzer 1 Field Search with clean ambient air, for compensating for back- 5 /3l, 205 ground levels of radiation, and for correcting the displayed output signal for the effects of absorption band Refennces Cited interferences between two or more gases in the gas UNITED STATES PATENTS mixture. The structure of the dual path analyzer in- 3,522,739 8/l970 250/564 cludes a Source of infrared energy, a delectof for the 3,551,678 12/1970 Mitchell 250/345 gy a Sample call for the g mixture, 3 cell for 3 3,562,522 2/1971 Cederstrand.... 356/97 reference gas, and optical path means between the 3,614,450 10/1971 Hill 250/345 source and detector for sequentially directing the 3.7 ,63l 5/1973 Justic v 250/345 source energy through the sample cell, the reference 3352-995 8/1973 Liedholzm 356/205 cell, and through neither cell. Processing electronics 3,796,887 3/l974 Vmcent 250/565 il to the Single p instrument can be i p Primary Examiner-James W. Lawrence Assistant ExaminerD. C. Nelms Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Harness, Dickey & Pierce rated to compensate for background radiation and absorption band interferences.

6 Claims, 23 Drawing Figures iilTml 11a I: v v: e

PIaTEZ-HEUJUIiS 1975 %73 SHEET 4 PATENTFIJIUH I975 SHEET NAN SHEET METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR THE INFRARED ANALYSIS OF GASES CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a division of application Ser. No. 28l,958, filed Aug. I8, 1972, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,790,798, which is a Continuation-in-Part of our copending application Ser. No. 178,260, filed Sept. 7, 1971, for Method and System for the Infrared Analysis of Gases, which, in turn, is a Continuation-in-Part of our now abandoned application Ser. No. 809,752, filed Mar. 24, 1969 for Methods and Systems for the Infrared Analysis of Gases." All of the disclosures of these related applications are intended to be incorporated by reference in the present disclosure.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the analysis of gas mixtures and refers more specifically to gas analyzers for deter mining the concentration of a constituent in a mixture of gases, e.g. automobile exhaust gases or the like. The enactment of federal and state legislation to control automobile emissions has resulted in a requirement to measure automobile emissions outside of the laboratory. Several portable automobile emissions analyzers have appeared in the last few years, all claiming to fill the need for quick, easy accurate measurement of exhaust gaseous concentrations. Almost without exception, the measurement techniques employed in these portable analyzers are identical with those used in their more costly and more complex laboratory counterparts. However, the compromises required to employ these techniques in low cost, portable packages com bined with the lack of skill of their intended operators and the hostility of their intended environment has resulted in a generation of instruments which are far from ideal.

The present invention provides a portable gas analyzer which quickly, easily and accurately determines the concentration of one or more gaseous components of a mixture of gases. A gas analyzer of the present invention requires no span gases for calibration; the instrument is calibrated by a zeroing procedure which utilizes ordinary air. The background level of radiation is determined and is used to appropriately compensate the output signals of the analyzer so that true indications of the concentration of gaseous components under investigation are obtained.

In a preferred single path embodiment, the analyzer includes a source of radiant energy, preferably infrared energy; a detector for the radiant energy; means for interposing the gas mixture between the source and the detector, for example, a sample cell; means for sequentially interposing a reference filter, a filter for each gaseous component under investigation, and a source blocking device between the source and the detector; means for compensating the output signal of the detector in accordance with the background level of radiation as determined when the source blocking device is interposed between the source and the detector; and means for compensating the gaseous components under investigation for absorption band interferences. With the above signal processing system, an output signal may be provided which may be displayed substantially in real time.

By way of example, the source blocking means, the filter for each gaseous component under investigation, and the reference filter may be mounted on a wheel which is positioned between the sample cell and the detector, preferably in close proximity to the detector so that the filter wheel and components constitute substantially the only source of background radiation whereby the background contribution to the signals is closely controlled and accurately determined. However, each of the above may be positioned in any suit able location intermediate the source and the detector. Also, by way of example, the background signal obtained when the source blocking means is interposed between the source and the detector may be stored for sequential subtraction from each output signal corresponding to the respective gaseous components under investigation as well as from a reference signal. By measuring each of the component, reference, and background signals independently of all previous measurements of the component, reference, and background signals on each cycle and subtracting the background signal from at least one of the signals on each cycle, the DC component of noise and a substantial portion of the low frequency component of noise is removed on each cycle. Consequently, there are no systematic errors since the mean noise level is zero. That is to say, if the output signal is time averaged over a sufficiently long time, an error free signal can be obtained.

Compensation for absorption band interferences may be accomplished in a similar manner by storing and sequentially utilizing a signal representative of each interfering gaseous component. In the preferred form, each of the signals corresponding to the gaseous components under investigation are normalized by providing a ratio of the gaseous component signals and the reference signal, the reference signal having been obtained when a filter having a spectral bandpass at which the gaseous components under investigation have negligable absorption is interposed between the source and the detector. This is advantageously accomplished using an analog divider incorporating a photocell and an associated radiant source. More particularly, the photocell is disposed in a feedback circuit of an operational amplifier to adjust the circuit gain in accordance with the resistance of the photocell. A light source is used in association with the photocell which is intensity-controlled by the reference signal level appearing at the output of the operational amplifier to correspondingly affect the gain of the operational amplifier by changing the resistance of the photocell. In effect, a highly effective, yet simple, analog divider is provided.

The above described processing circuitry for the single path analyzer may be also used with a dual path design with slight modification to accommodate the derivation of a reference signal through the use of a separate cell containing a reference gas rather than the aforementioned reference filter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic layout ofa basic system of a single filter two-path type constituting one embodiment of the invention, however, this layout will also serve as a basis on which to describe various optical and electrical effects and calculations that also underlie other embodiments, whether of a multiple path or one-path FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing three positions occupied by a movable mirror involved in the operation of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 graphically depicts the relationship in point of time between the three mirror positions typified in FIG. 2, and the three channels of synchronization pulses;

FIG. 4 similarly graphs the time relationship between mirror position and signal output following A.C. amplification;

FIG. 5 is a time-plot of measurable quantities of A.C. amplifier output signals V V and V,;, which are ultimately used to obtain the values V ,,V, and V,,V,

FIG. 6 is a graph plotting the several A.C. amplified output signals V,,V,, and V,,,-V,, dealt with herein, in relation to one another and time;

FIG. 7 is a block and line diagram illustrating an electronic procedure and processing network or system for obtaining the subtractive output signal values just mentioned, whether in the case of a single or multiple filter arrangement, appropriate output-time graphed comparisons being appended;

FIG. 8 is a schematic lay-out of an alternative, single path, multiple filter type analytic system embodying special spectral filters and chopper device in combination with a sample cell;

FIGS. 9l2 are face views of alternative embodiments of the rotary chopper filter device employed with the embodiment of FIG. 8;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the rotary chopper and filter device of FIG. 12 further illustrating an elongated light source and a plurality of photocells associated with the rotary chopper and filter device of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a perspective illustration of an alternative embodiment of a rotary chopper and filter device which may be employed with the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of a processing circuit which may be employed with the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 16 is another schematic diagram of a processing circuit which provides water vapor interference compensation and which may be employed with the embodiment of FIG. 8;

FIGS. 17 and 18 are schematic diagrams, each of which illustrates a method and structure for compensating for spectrum interferences between the gaseous components of a sample;

FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram of an alternative processing circuit which may be employed with the embodiment of FIG. 8;

FIG. 20A is an illustration of detector output signal as a function of time and FIG. 20B is an illustration of the detector output signal noise as a function of frequency;

FIG. 21 is an illustration of a low frequency component of noise of the detector output signal;

FIG. 22 is a graphic illustration of the low frequency component of noise of FIG. 21 after background compensation by the signal processing circuitry of either FIG. 15 or FIG. 19', and

FIG. 23 is yet another illustration of a low frequency component of noise of the detector output signal.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. I very schematically illustrates one embodiment or system according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 10, which is not necessarily the preferred one of the several forms herein shown and described, but which will nevertheless serve as a basis for a description of various spectral analysis effects and mathematical descriptions which will follow. Such descriptions, and electrical circuitry which carry them into practice, involve a subtractive comparison of proportionate output signals from a detector which (a) pertain to a sample cell-transmitted, attenuated beam and (b) to a comparison or reference beam. One of these comparative determinations invokes subtraction of a signal reflecting a zero or minimal impingement radiant energy. ie a background signal, from the reference derived signal on the detector; the other determination involves the subtraction of the sample signal from the reference signal. The result of the second or other subtractive comparison is then divided by the result of the first to obtain the desired fractional reading. If the concentrations of more than one gaseous component of the mixture of gases are to be determined, it is preferred to subtract the background level from each component signal in sequential, discrete steps. It will be appreciated that, in the previously described method, the background signal is directly subtracted from the reference signal in the first comparative determination while the second comparative determination, the sample signal which includes the background signal as a component thereof, is subtracted from the reference signal. Accordingly, the background signal is subtracted in each of the comparative determinations. In other words, it can be readily seen that the determinations made in each of the above described processes are mathematically equivalent.

As indicated, these effects, as herein specifically described, deal with the infrared portion of the spectrum; and the evaluations apply equally to each illustrated embodiment. Indeed, while the disclosure herein relates in the main to the special spectral absorption analysis of carbon monoxide, a field presently having great public interest, the principle and circuitry shown are equally well adapted for the infrared, visible or ultraviolet spectral analysis of various other media, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

As illustrated in FIG. I, the reference numeral 12 designates an appropriate source or emitter of infrared energy, of one of a number of known types. Attendant to its emission of infrared in the surrounding space, the emitter l2 directs opposed beams A and B onto 45 angled fixed mirrors 13, 14, respectively, which fold the respective radiations through sample and reference cells I5, 16, respectively, an average beam path being indicated at 17 in each instance. The sample cell 15, as utilized in checking percent CO content of an automobile exhaust, will be equipped with appropriate inlet and outlet passages 19, 20, respectively, the former being appropriately connected perhaps via a pump to the exhaust manifold or muffler of the automobile. If desired, appropriate similar means may be provided for circulating the reference gas in cell 16.

An appropriate sampling line or system (not shown) is used to deliver a representative sample of engine ex haust gas to the intake I9 of cell IS in a suitable form for analysis. Since carbon monoxide measurement is considered very important as an accurate indicator of engine efficiency, the sampling line must therefore deliver the exhaust sample without disturbing the relative concentration of carbon monoxide, i.e., it should be inert to carbon monoxide at elevated temperature. To this end stainless steel or plastics such as polyytetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene, etc. can be used. The important criteria are that the sampling line be flexible and be resistant to elevated temperatures. For this reason, stainless steel tubing, either rigid or flexible, should be used in the front part of the sampling line, immediately in contact with the exhaust gas exiting for analysis.

The exhaust gas then passes to a water trap which serves to collect coalesced water in the exhaust gas. An automatic drain trap such as Arrow Model 5100 can be used for this purpose. Next, the sample passes into a pump, which forwards it to the infrared cell for measurement.

Resuming, in reference to FIG. 1, the infrared beam component A, as reflected by mirror 13, traverses the path 17 and impinges a fixed 45 mirror 22 at the opposite end of sample cell 15, by which it is reflected onto a double sided movable mirror device, generally designated 24, three discrete positions of which are indicated in solid, dotted and dot-dash line in FIG. 1.

On the other hand, the infrared beam or ray component B emanating from source 12, deflecting from the fixed 45 mirror 14, traverses the reference cell 16, in which a gas other than the sample in cell 15 is contained or circulated. Exiting the reference cell 16, the beam B is reflected from a fixed mirror 24 positioned at 90 to the fixed mirror 22 and, which, like the latter, reflects the beam onto the side of the movable mirror device 24 opposite that impinged by the sample cell beam A.

The device 24 comprises, as very schematically shown in FIG. 2, a mirror 26 which is reflective on both of its sides, so that in the position designated 1 in that figure (solid line in FIG. 1) the mirror 26 will receive and reflect the infrared reference beam portion B from source 12, as it has traversed the reference cell 16, through a spectral filter 28 and onto a radiant energy sensitive detector 30.

On the other hand, as the infrared beam portion A reflects from mirror 13 and traverses sample cell 15, it is folded back by mirror 22 onto the other side of mirror 26, as in its right hand position 3 of FIG. 2, (dotted line position in FIG. 1) to impinge filter 28. In the intermediate position 2 (dot-dash line in FIG. 1) the mirror 26 of course reflects no radiant energy, or a very minimal value.

It is assumed for present purposes that the mirror 26 shall move instantaneously between positions 1, 2, and 3 and return, but the speed of the transitions has no real bearing upon the operation of the system 10.

Thus, as the moving optical device 24 cycles through the positions 1, 2 and 3 of FIG. 2, the radiation B in position 1 which has passed through the reference cell 16 containing the reference gas will be passed through the filter device 28 and onto the detector 30. While the mirror is in position 2, no radiation emitted by the source 12 will be directed towards the detector. While it is in position 3 it is the radiation A passing through the sample cell 15 which will be directed through the spectral filter 28 and onto the detector 30.

It is contemplated that photoelectric or like pickups will be associated with the drive for movable mirror 26 to sense the position, I, 2 or 3 of the movable mirror 26, and back to position 3, and to in turn trigger the sync means later referred to.

Traversing the filter device 28, the beam impinges the detector 30, the output signal of the detector influencing an alternating current amplifier system 32, to be described, the output of which passes to an electronic processing system 33 (also to be described). This system is triggered by synchronous pulsegenerating units, such as are designated sync-1, sync-2, and sync-3 in FIG. 1. The output of electronic processing network 33 goes to an appropriate meter or equivalent indicator 38 calibrated for a reading out of the percentage sample gaseous content which it is desired to ascertain.

The sync devices 34, 35 and 36 generate narrow trigger impulses while the movable mirror is in positions 1, 2 and 3, respectively. FIG. 3 graphically shows the time relation between the mirror position and the occurrence of the pulses in each of the three sync channels, as descriptively designated. FIGS. 4-6 graph various time and signal relationships of a related nature.

For the detector of FIG. 1 a detector such as a lead selenide-type or indium antimonide photoconductive cell operating at ambient temperature is proposed. Many other detectors could be used, with slight modification in the following analysis. For these detectors, as for most quantum detectors, one can describe the detectors short-circuit current I, in amperes as follows (assuming unity bias voltage):

where q electronic charge (coulombs) A detector area (cm MA) spectral quantum efficiency (dimensionless);

and

Using this relation, we obtain the detector short-circuit current when the movable mirror 26 is in each of its three positions.

There are, in position 1, two additive components to the photon flux. These are the photons which originate at the source 12 and those which emanate from the total background which lies within the whole field-ofview of detector 30. Accordingly, the spectral filter 28 will be placed close enough to the detector that it will fill the detector field-of-view, and thus will be by far the major source of background radiation. The background contribution passing through the spectral filter can only contribute to the total background within the latters passband, and this contribution can be shown to be negligible if the temperature of this background is below, say, 400K. If the photon flux from the filter background is called N 0), and the photon flux on the detector due to the beam which passes through the reference cell is called N,(k) (noting that this value is a function of source temperature), then there exists the relation defined as N,()t) A .,(N,( \)/r T HM OBU). where:

A, projected area of the source (crn N Ot) number of photons emanating from the source per unit source area per second per micron per steradian (cm sec fster);

r optical path length from source to detector (cm) T O) is the transmission of the gas in the reference cell;

T,-()\) is the transmission of the spectral filter; and

T -(A) is the optical efficiency over the reference path B. The detector short-circuit current 1, for mirror position I is, then,

qA 11(1) n wm w 1 a) qA [Ln (A) u wqif nuzm (A) d2) qA lslnflm wabgganlxl N WT wT WT (3M We assume that the spectral filter transmits only in a spectral bandwidthAA centered at 4.6 microns, so the (around-1..) a TA(X)]/TB(;\) p r ent absorption second integral can be closely approximated as follows: is,

where; 4. 6

Since in its position 2 the movable mirror will not allow photons from source 12 to reach the detector 30, the only contributor to the photon flux upon the detec tor is the background. Thus the detector short-circuit current 1, for mirror position 2, is, then,

1 qA Ii1(A)N (A) a}.

The analysis for mirror position 3 is analogous to that for mirror position 1. The detector short-circuit current I,;,, for mirror position 3 is om and) 10.0)

It will now be shown what algebraic, manipulation is necessary, using I, and 1, in order to obtain the desired result. Later it will be shown how this manipulation can be accomplished electrically.

where V,,, V and V,;, are the A.C. amplifier output voltages, k is associated with the A.C. amplifier gain, and C is the DC. voltage offset.

The time relation between the movable mirror positions and the output of amplifier 32 is shown in FIG. 4. The output voltages V V and V, of FIG. 5 are extracted by synchronous sample and hold circuits 46, 47 and 48, respectively, of HG. 7, which are later described. Difference voltages V,,V, and V,,V, as illustrated in FIG. 6, are then extracted, and the ratio (V,,V,;,)/( V,,V,,) is obtained electrically. The resulting ratio is equal to the quantity (I,,l,3)/(l, ln) as shown below, which is the desired result. That is,

The above relation is interpreted to show the result is independent of A.C. amplifier gain, as manifested in k.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the electronic processing system 33 of FIG. 1, in which three like sub-networks 34, 35 and 36 are embodied. Each comprises one standard photo transistor and one bipolar transistor in a switching mode. Together the transistors transmit unblanking sync pulses which tell the respective synchronous sample-and-hold device 46, 47 and 48 when to T QTT Q'llAR 1 l l 3}] Or, simplifying and cancelling,

sample the A.C. amplifier video output to obtain the voltages V V and V,;, and maintain them until they are resampled at a later time.

Signals from the synchronous sample-and-hold units 46, 47 and 48, go in the way shown in FIG. 7 to differencing amplifiers 49 and 50 ofa known type, in the former of which the voltage V has subtracted from it the voltage V In the amplifier 50 the voltage V,, has subtracted from it the voltage V,, The two resulting voltages now go into the divider circuit such as described in detail in FIG. 15, and, hereinafter. A video signal is presented graphically and as the output of the AC. amplifier 32. Each of the three dual sync and synchronous sample-and-hold devices 34-46, 35-47 and 36-48 discriminates in real time each of the output signals V,,, V and V,;,, the sync pulses having a fixed time relation to the AC. video signal; and a function of each synchronous sample and hold, in conjunction with its sync generator, is to extract the value of the voltage of the AC. amplifier output signal at such time that the sync signal dicates. The outputs of the synchronous sample and hold circuits are represented graphically as functions of time in FIG. 7 (as may be compared with the graph of FIG. 5), these graphical representations being located adjacent the synchronous sample and hold circuits 46, 47 and 48. The respective units 46, 47 and 48 of the latter can be sample/hold modules marketed by Burr-Brown, preferably Model 1666/16 or 4013/25. The output voltages of the subtraction devices 49 and 50 are presented graphically, as functions of time, directly following these units. The latter effectively perform the function of subtraction; however, there are a number of other known ways to subtract electrically, hence the invention should not be considered unduly limited in this regard. All of the subtractive functions described in reference to FIG. 7 can be performed by differential input operational amplifiers.

The foregoing calculations, divider, amplifier and processing circuitry enable one to obtain percent absorption as an electrical output. This output then drives the meter 38 having a non-linear scale, being calibrated in percent CO by volume at standard temperature and pressure. It may be noted that in the two-path configuration, the function of the divider of FIG. 7 can be eliminated by sampling the reference voltage and operating a source temperature controller from that voltage to maintain the reference voltage at unity, i.e., a feedback system.

The subtractive and divisive electrical values dis cussed above, and graphically and otherwise depicted in FIGS. 2 through 8, are derived in theory in reference to a system 10 such as is shown in FIG. 1, i.e., a system utilizing separate sample and reference energy paths 17 from emissive source 12 onto the detector 30. One skilled in the art will readily understand where the assumptions made and conclusions reached are equally valid in respect to a system of the nature hereinafter described in which but a single path of energy originating at source 12 is employed. In such an alternate system appropriate filter and/or chopper means may serve to (a) spectrally filter at the sample characteristic wavelength the energy impinging on detector 30; (b) afford a comparison background energy impinging on the detector, such as might be represented by zero or minimal energy in an operational phase corresponding to position 2 in FIG. 2; and (c) give reference energy impinging on the detector, which unlike that traversing path I7 through reference cell 16 of FIG. 1, will be of another known wavelength other than that ot'the gaseous constituent (C0) of the sample under analysis. It is intended that the gaseous mixture in the sample cell will have negligible absorption at this wavelength. Furthermore, under the broad principle of the invention, it is contemplated that the analysis may be in regard to a fluid other than a gas, and, indeed, to a radiant energy analysis other than infrared. Applications in the analysis of gases other than carbon monoxide have been mentioned above. Furthermore, it is contemplated that the principle of the invention may well be extended to the more-or-less simultaneous spectral analyses of a medium in respect to more than one constituent, as will appear.

One system alternative to that of FIG. 1 which will provide the same electrical output, but utilizing a single path of energy transmission through the sample medium is shown in FIG. 8. It has several advantages over the system of FIG. 1. This system, generally designated 70, has a number of components in common with the first, which are therefore designated by the same reference numerals. In addition to source, sample cell, detector and amplification-sync-processing electronic means like those of FIGS. I and 7-9, the system utilizes a rotary filter and chopper wheel or disc 7I, driven by an appropriate means (not shown); and features of the wheel are shown in alternate embodiments in FIGS. 9 and 10. Each of two optical filters 72, 73 of the wheel occupies a substantial radial and circumferential segment area of wheel, such filter segments being more-orless widely spaced from one another at 74; and the remaining segment 75 is opaque.

In an instance in which it is proposed to analyze two or more different gaseous constituents of a sample in one cycle of operation, the filter-chopper 7| may be modified as shown in FIG. 12 to provide still another optical filter segment at 76, in which case the amplifier. detector, electrical processing and metering arrangements will be appropriately modified in specific respects, but not essentially altering the inventive principle as put in effect by the systems of FIGS. 7, 8, and 9, as described in detail in FIGS. 17-18. Sync holes 77 in wheel 71 admit visible light to trigger photoelectrically the sync devices of system 70. Still further modifications to the filter-chopper may be made. For example, in FIG. 11, a filter-chopper 80 is illustrated having a filter window 82 which extends for approximately l80 of the filter-chopper disc. The filter window is essentially a narrow bandpass filter whose band center varies continuously as a function of angular position between the radially extending ends of the window 82. Similar to the previous embodiments of filter-choppers, synchronization holes 77 are angularly positioned along the window 82 in a predetermined fashion so as to provide preselected wavelength bandpasses. Accordingly, since the preselected wavelength desired for optical processing may not be evenly spaced, as depicted, the synchronization holes 77 may not be evenly spaced. As can be seen in FIG. 11, one synchronizing hole 77 is provided in a source blocking region to provide a background signal. The instantaneous effective spectral bandpass 0f the filter is dictated by a beam-limiting aperture. The filter aperture can be controlled in any suitable mannet, for example, by incorporating a radiation block haying a slit corresponding to a narrow sector of the window 82 or by using a detector of limited area.

In FIGS. I2 and 13, a preferred scheme for synchronizing a filter-chopper is illustrated. In FIG. 12, a chopper wheel 84 is illustrated having three circular filters 76, 72 and 73 which correspond to the previously de scribed filters with the same numerical designation, and a source blocking portion. The filter wheel 84 has synchronizing openings 77 located at radially distinct positions. In FIG. 13, the filter-chopper 84 is seen to be as sociated with a radially-elongated light source 86 and a plurality of photocells 88 which correspond in number and radial position to the synchronizer openings 77. The location of a synchronizing hole 77 on an axis between the light source 86 and one of the photocells 88 unambiguously determines the angular position of the filter-chopper 84 with respect to the transmission path of the infrared energy from the source 12 to the detector 30.

In FIG. 14, another alternative filter-chopper assembly 90 is illustrated. The assembly 90 includes a filterwheel 92, having filters 76, 72, 73, 94 and 96, which is directly mounted on a drive shaft 98 of a motor 100 for rotation therewith, and a chopper wheel 102 which is mounted to the drive shaft 98 through a 2 to 1 reduction drive unit 104 so that the chopper segment 102 is interposed in the path between the source 12 and the detector 30 during every other rotation of the main shaft 98. Accordingly, the background level of radiation can be obtained for each filter 72, 73, 76, 94 and 96 on every other rotation of the shaft 98 when the chopper segment 102 is positioned to block the transmission of the infrared energy from the source 12 to the detector 30 using the synchronizing system for the respective filters 72, 73, 76, 94 and 96. To this end, the detector should be positioned proximate to the filter wheel 92. It will also be appreciated that the chopper 102 and the filter wheel 92 may be mounted in remote locations and may be driven from separate sources, with the limitation that appropriate synchronization must be accomplished therebetween. Essentially any position intermediate the detector 12 and the source 30 is suitable for each of the filter wheels 92 and the chopper 102.

With reference again to FIG. 8, the theory of operation the single path system 70 is as follows: Each of the spectral or optical filters has a bandpass of approximately O.l micron. One of these filters, for example, filter 72, is centered at 4.6 microns. The other filter 73 is centered on a wavelength at which the gas sample mixture has virtually no spectral sbsorption, for example, 3.9 microns. Let the situation in which the filter 73 is in front of the detector 30 be analogous to mirror position 1 in the basic system. Likewise, let the situation in which the opaque section 75 is in front of the detector be analogous to mirror position 2, and the remaining time when filter 72 is in front of the detector be analogous to mirror position 3.

within this correspondence, the sync-time relations of FIG. 3 apply, as will the signal-time relations of FIGS. 46. With no more than a gain adjustment in one of the operational amplifiers, the same synoamplifierprocessing electronics as proposed in FIGS. 79 for the system 10 will accept the detector signal as input to provide an electrical output proportional to percent ab-- sorption.

The major advantage of the one path, two'filter sys tem 70 over the two path, single filter system 10 of FIG. I is that the optical path over which the reference beam travels is identical to the optical path traveled by the sample beam. This means that if the transmission of the optical path 17 changes because of the accumulation of dirt. dust. etc., both the signal transmitted by filter 72 and the signal transmitted by filter 73 will be attenuated. Since most contaminants will affect both wavelengths to the same degree, the accuracy of the measurement will not be influenced. It should be noted that the previous assumption of equal optical efficiencies T A) and T 0) over the sample and reference paths respectively is automatically realized within this configurationv However, the source photon flux N,(lt) through the reference and sample filters will not maintain a constant relationship to one another with changes in the source temperature. It has been found that the errors introduced with changes in source temperature are small. Additionally, the detector quantum efficiencies MA) at all wavelengths utilized are not necessarily equal, but they do maintain a constant relationship to one another so as to allow a correction for variations in efficiency.

In FIG. 15, a schematic diagram of a single path infrared analyzer 106 is shown which is especially suitable for determining the concentrations of more than one gaseous component of a gaseous mixture. The system 106 of FIG. 15 includes a source 12, a cell 15 for containing the gaseous mixture to be analyzed having inlet passages and outlet passages 19 and 20, respectively, a filter wheel 78 which preferably is essentially as described with respect to FIG. 12 and has a plurality of filters mounted for interposition between the source 12 and the detector 30. The system 106 further includes a synchronization system 108, for example, like that disclosed in FIG. 13. The detector 30 provides an output signal on a line 110 which includes signal components V V V and V as illustrated above line 110. A background compensating or zero clamping circuit 112, connected by a suitable synchronization line 113 to the background signal indicator of the sync circuit 108, is provided which includes a sample-and-hold circuit for storing the signal V for subtraction from each of the signals V V, V to provide zero clamped, background compensated, signals V' V' V' respectively, on an output line 114 of the zero clamping circuit 112. The signals on output line 114 are normalized by an analog divider 116 which divides the background compensated signals on line 114 by a signal representative of the background compensated reference signal V' obtained when the reference filter 73 is interposed in the path between source 12 and the detector 30.

The divider circuit 116 includes a sample-and-hold circuit 118, a filter 119, a control differential amplifier 122, a variable resistance device which in this instance comprises a light source 128 and an associated photosensitive device 130, a main differential operational amplifier 132, and a fixed voltage standard generator 136. It is the object of the voltage divider circuit 116 to divide each incoming signal by the negative of the background compensated reference voltage V',,, when the divider is in a steady-state (non-transient) condition, In other words, the divider circuit 116 multiplies the incoming signal train by a quantity -l/V' which may be arbitrarily said to equal the quantity K;,, where K =l/V The signal out of the divider 116 on an output line 134 is considered to be normalized. Obiviously, in a steady-state condition. the normalized, background compensated reference signal -K' V' =-I. To fully appreciate the operation of the analog divider I16, consider the main operational amplifier 132 connected in a simple inverting configuration as shown with the gain e,,,,,/e,-,, of the operational amplifier being essentially equal to Rp -/Rm when R is the input resistance to the amplifier 132. The output of the main operational amplifier 132 is applied to the sample-and-hold unit 118 whose aperture time is controlled by the reference sync circuit 108. The sampleand-hold unit 118, then, samples the reference level within the output of the main operational amplifier 132 every time the reference sync pulse occurs and maintains this level on its output. The output of the sampleand-hold unit 118 is applied through a low pass filter 119 to the inverting input of the control differential amplifier 122. The standard voltage signal on line 124 from the generator 136, which is set to be a value K, volts which value is arbitrarily considered to be negative one", is applied to the noninverting input terminal of the differential amplifier 122. Accordingly, whenever the reference level within the output of the operational amplifier 122 deviates from K, volts, an error signal is generated at the output of the control differential amplifier 122 on line 126. The error signal on line 126 is applied to the control terminal of the voltage-controlled resistance element. in this case, the light source 128 thereof. The value of the resistance R of the associated photosensitive device 128 and thus the closed-loop gain of the operational amplifier 132, changes in accordance with the intensity of light emitted from the light source 128 so as to nearly restore the e reference level of the output of the main operational amplifier 132 to the value -K,. For example, when a difference exists between the background compensated, reference signal from the main operational amplifier 132 and the signal assumed negative one from the fixed voltage standard generator 136 a signal is provided on line 126 which is proportional to the difference in the signals. Accordingly, the intensity of the light 128 will be a function of the difference so as to correspondingly decrease the photocell resistance R of the photocell 130 so as to adjust the feedback resistance in a manner to make more positive the output voltage e of the main operational amplifier 132 when the background compensated reference signal V' is more negative than negative one or to make more negative the output voltage c of the main operational amplifier 132 by increasing the photocell resistance R when the background compensated reference signal V is more positive than the assumed signal value of negative "one so as to maintain the relationship e fl in.

The system shown in the diagram may specifically operate in either of two manners. In the first of the two manners of operation, the restoration process occurs entirely within a time period which corresponds to the pulse width of a single reference sync pulse. No further restoration occurs between sync pulses. Control therory would generally state that if this system were to be stable, the response time of the sample-and-hold unit 118, the control differential amplifier 122 and the voltage-controlled resistance 128 and 130 would have to be short with respect to the reference pulse width. In this case, no low pass filter 119 would be used. When one is utilizing a very high filter wheel rotational rate, as in the case in the preferred gas analyzer according to this invention, the reference sync pulse width can be quite small (100 microseconds). The sample-and-hold unit 118 as well as the control differential amplifier 122 can be made to respond much more quickly than this, but it is difficult to obtain a voltage-controlled resistance unit which responsds this quickly. Field-effect transistors may be used as voltage-controlled resistors and will respond this quickly, but they behave as almost pure resistors from drain-to-source only at very small drain-to-source voltages. Phototransistors or photodiodes used with light-emitting diodes as specifically disclosed herein, will also respond quickly but they behave as almost pure resistors only under some specialized conditions. This first described mode of operation, is, then, rather difficult to achieve.

A second of the two manners of operation is preferred in this application. In this second manner of operation, the restoration process takes place almost continuously, based upon a comparison of the reference level and the output of the operational amplifier 122 which is obtained by low-pass filtering the output of the sample-and-hold unit 118 by any suitable, known filter 119. The comparison, in essence, results in a weighted average of many discrete sample-and-hold outputs. Thus, the restoration rate will be relatively slow with respect to the period of rotation of the filter wheel. It must be relatively slow in order to achieve a stable system. The speed of restoration is determined by the restoration accuracy desired. Control theory generally says that any desired restoration accuracy may be obtained, but that the higher the restoration accuracy is, the slower must be the restoration rate if the system is to remain stable.

It can be seen in FIG. 15 that the signals representative of the respective ones of the gaseous components of the gaseous mixture are sequentially received by the analog divider 116 for conversion and normalization through division by the reference siganl V,, to produce zero clamped, inverted and normalized signals -K V' K V' Accordingly, the analog divider 116 is time shared to accommodate any desired number of component signals. All of the component signals are sent to respective linear amplifiers, a first being shown at 138 for component signal -KRV' The linear amplifier 138 may be calibrated either manually as by an appropriate adjustment knob 140 or may be automatically calibrated, for example, by a digital zeroing circuit or other automatic control. It will be appreciated that an additional linear amplifier 138 is provided to process each signal corresponding to a gaseous component under investigation. For example, an additional linear amplifier 138 is illustrated for the generalized case of a gaseous component Xn.

With clean air in the sample cell 15, the gain of the linear amplifier 138 is adjusted so that the output at a readout device 142 for that component is zero. More particularly, the linear amplifier 138 multiplies the zero clamped, normalized and inverted signal K V'(t) by a constant K, determined by the calibrating procedure so that an output signal K ,K V'(:) is provided.

So that each signal representative of respective ones of the gaseous components may be individually read out, signal discrimination must be provided. Signal discrimination is conveniently accomplished by utilizing a sample-and-hold circuit 144 which receives the output signal of the linear amplifier 138 and at appropriate times, as determined by the synchronizing circuit 108, stores that signal for continuous delivery to the additive terminal of an amplifier 146 while the fixed voltage standard from the negative one generator 136 is supplied to the subtractive terminal of the operational am plifier 146 to subtract a signal of negative one" from the quantity K ,,-,K V' Accordingly, when clean air is in the sample cell 15, the operational amplifier 146 will yield an output signal of zero" on an output line 148 which is connected to the readout device 142. When a gaseous mixture to be analyzed contains a concentration of a component X, which is above the calibration air concentration, the signal I( K V' will be more positive than negative one" so as to provide a positive signal A at the readout device 142. As previously formulated, the indication A of the readout device 142 will be representative of the concentration of the gaseous component X, in the gaseous mixture within the cell 15. An identical process is conducted to determine the concentration signal A for the gaseous component X as illustrated in FIG. I5.

In view of the above explanation, it can be seen that each corresponding linear amplifiers 138, sample-andhold circuits I44 and operational amplifiers 146 for respective ones of the gaseous components to be investigated are connected to respective ones of the readout devices 142, only one of which is numbered in FIG. 15, so that the concentration of the other gaseous components will be determined in sequence as the filter for that component is interposed in the path between the source 12 and the detector 30.

In FIG. 16, a schematic diagram is shown of another embodiment of analyzer processing circuitry which includes a provision for electrically compensating for absoprtion band interferences. Although this embodiment will be particularly described with respect to compensation for absorption band interferences of water vapor concentrations in the gaseouus mixture, it will be appreciated that the principles stated herein are equally applicable to the compensation of other inter fering gaseous components as will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

The problem solved by the absorption band interferences compensation circuitry of FIG. 16 can be better appreciated if the desired performance of a fully versatile automobile exhaust analyzer is considered. The analyzer should measure the concentrations of four gases: carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons. and the oxides of nitrogen. It has been found that the absorption spectra of several of these gases overlap with each other and other gaseous components of the gaseous mixture so that, as a practical matter, it is not always possible to select a wavelength at which there is sizable infrared absorption by one of the gaseous components under investigation, but no significant infrared absorption by any of the others, i.e. no absorption band interference. Accordingly, the absorption spectra of the various gases must be analyzed to determine the de gree of interference and such interference should be corrected when a significant interference occurs so as to provide a desired high level of measurement accuracy. For example, water vapor is found in automobile exhausts and is not normally a subject for emission con trol; and accordingly, the concentration of water vapor is not normally measured. However, water vapor provides a significant infrared absorption contribution at any of the wavelengths at which the oxides of nitrogen have a significant infrared absorption, i.e. the nitric oxide absorption band is overlapped by a strong water vapor absorption band. Moreover, the hydrocarbon fundamental absorption band, centered at a wavelength of 3.4 microns, is on the fringes ofa strong water vapor absorption band. The prior art methods for dealing with the water vapor problem, eg the removal of all of the water vapor from the sample before it enters the sample cell by a dryer, or the use ofa gaseous saturation filter, have been found to be inconvenient or ineffective in use and require maintenance procedures which are often neglected so that measurement accuracy is not reliably achieved in the field. The method and structure of the present invention electrically compensates for absorption spectrum overlapping and presents none of the operational drawbacks associated with the prior art devices.

With reference now to FIG. 16, the electrical processing circuit which provides appropriate water vapor compensation is illustrated. In FIG. I6, the aforementioned detector 30 is used to provide the various previously described background, reference and component signals V V and V V respectively, which are amplified by an amplifier 32. The processing electronics of FIG.. 16 are preferably incorporated with a system as described with respect to FIG. 15 which has a filter wheel 78 with a plurality of the necessary filters, i.e. a filter for providing the reference signal V and a filter for providing a component signal V V ,-,,for each of the components under investigation. Also, a source chopper or source blocking means is incorporated for the measurement of the background level of radiation. The filter wheel 78 and the source chopper are associated with a synchronizing device I08 which provides synchronizing signals by synchronizing amplifiers to control the storing of the various signals in respective sample-and-hold circuits as previously described. It can be seen that the circuitry of FIG. 16 incorporates a background compensation circuit I60, disclosed in FIG. 15, which receives the output signals from the detector amplifier 32 and subtracts a signal representative of the level of the background radiation from each of the signals of the incoming signal train to yield a train of background compensated signals on output line 162. The signals on line 162 arrive at a normalization circuit 164 also as taught with respect to FIG. 15, which divides the incoming signals by the reference level of radiation to provide backgroundcompensated, normalized output signals -K,;V'(r) on an output line having time-spaced components which correspond to each of the gaseous components under investigation. It can be seen that the signal '-K V'(I) on output line 172 is delivered to a water vapor correction block 174 via a line 176, a sample gas X, processing block 178 via line 180, and a sample gas X, processing block 182 via a line 184.

A gain K 2 1 may be applied to the signal K V'(1) out of the normalization circuit where K is of sufficient magnitude that the variable gain amplifiers, (for example 138 of FIG. 15) may be replaced by simple potentiometers 186, 220 and 204 of FIG. I6. That is, n variable gain amplifiers are effectively replaced by the combination of the applied gain K and the attenuation capability of the potentiometers. Thus the constant K can be absorbed into the constants K K K K without loss of generality.

It can be seen that the signal K V'U) on line 176 is connected to one terminal of a water vapor calibration potentiometer 186 which may be adjusted to multiply the voltage on line 176 by the factor K,,-. The voltage so multiplied appears on the slidable potentiometer arm 188 and is presented to the input of the water vapor sample-and-hold circuit 190 for storing therein when commanded by a water vapor sync amplifier I94. The water vapor sample-andhold circuit IQO provides an output signal on line 192, which may be expressed as K,, K,,V',, which is sent to the additive terminal of an operational amplifier 196. The operational amplifier 196 also receives a negative one signal at its subtractive input from line 198 from the negative one" generator 136. The water vapor operational amplifier 196 provides a signal on output line 202 representative of K,, K,,V',, The output of the operational amplifier 196 is zero when there is no water vapor in the sampie. The signal on output line 202 from operational amplifier 196 is thereafter used to compensate the signals of each of the gaseous components under investigation in a manner to be described hereinafter, the signal being appropriately weighted to compensate each of the gaseous components.

The line 180 of the sample gas processing block 178 is connected to a calibration variable potentiometer 204 having an output terminal 206 for zeroing the gas component X, display device with a clean air sample in the sample cell establishing the value of K as previously described. The output terminal 206 of the variable potentiometer 204 provides a signal which includes a voltage representative of the incoming inverted background compensated, and normalized sample gas component X, signal multiplied by a gas component X, calibration constant K The signal representative of K ,K V appearing at potentiometer out put terminal 206 is delivered to the sample gas sampleand-hold circuit 208 so as to store the inverted, back ground compensated, normalized and calibrated sample gas component X, signal at the appropriate time, rejecting the remainder of K ,,K,,V'(t). That signal is provided to the additive terminal of operational amplifier 212 which also receives the signal representative of negative one" from the negative one generator 136 at its subtractive input via line 214. The output signal from the water vapor operational amplifier 196 on output line 202 is also connected to the subtractive input of the operational amplifier 212 through a suitable weighting resistor 216 which modifies the amplitude of the signal in accordance with a predetermined infrared absorption contributed by water vapor at the bandpass of the filter for gaseous component X,. The operational amplifier 212 subtracts the value negative one and the weighted water vapor compensation value from the inverted, normalized and background compensated sig nal -K,,K V to provide a water vapor compensated output signal appearing on output line 218 of the operational amplifier 212 which may be connected to a suitable readout device (not shown).

A processing block is provided for each gaseous component to be investigated, for example, a processing block 182 is provided for determining the concentration of a gaseous component X, having a calibration variable potentiometer 220, a sample-and-hold circuit 222 keyed by a sync amplifier 225 for delivering an inverted, calibrated background compensated and normalized signal on an output line 224 to an operational amplifier 226. The amplifier 226 also receives a negative one" signal from the generator 136 on line 228, and a signal representative of water vapor concentration on line 230 which is weighted by a resistor 232 to yield a water vapor compensated output signal on line 234. Of course, additional processing blocks may be provided so that the concentrations of any desired number of gaseous components may be determined.

In FIG. 17, a generalized schematic diagram of a system for compensating for spectrum interference in a selected band by more than one gas. More specifically,

consider a system wherein the infrared band selected for a particular gaseous component of a mixture is one in which several other components of the gaseous mixture absorb significantly so as to interfere at the selected band. To provide a highly accurate instrument, the detector signal for that particular gaseous component of the mixture must be modified so as to correct the signal error due to the interference of the other gaseous components.

Referring now specifically to the system of FIG. 17, it can be seen that many signal processing components are utilized which are essentially alike to those described with respect to FIGS. 15 and 16, and accordingly, those components have been designated with identical numbers and will not be described in detail. Among the previously described components are a water vapor correction block 174, a sample gas X, pro' cessing block 178, and a sample gas X processing block 182. The sample gas components X, and X processing blocks 178 and 182, respectively, are appropriately modified to receive correction signals for the other gases as well as for water vapor Generally describing the functioning of the circuit of FIG. 17, the output of each interfering gas processing block is connected to the subtractive terminal of the output operational amplifier of the affected gas processing block through an interference correction transfer circuit which appropriately modifies the output signal from the interfering gas processing block so as to represent an appropriate correction for the interference. More specifically, a line 202 connects the output of the water vapor differential amplifier 196 to the sub tractive input of the sample gas X, output operational amplifier 212 through an interference correction trans fer cirucit 240. The interference correction transfer circuit 240 provides a transfer function Y,,, which may be a nonlinear function or a linear function as would be supplied by a simple resistor. The interference correction transfer circuit 240, in effect, multiplies the output signal A,,. of the water vapor correction block by the transfer function Y to provide an output signal from the transfer circuit representing A,,.Y,,,- which signal is effective to appropriately modify the output of the sample gas component X, processing block 178 to achieve spectrum interference compensation. In a similar man ner, a line 230 is provided from the output of the water vapor correction block 174 which is connected to the subtractive terminal of the sample gas component X, output operational amplifier 226 through an interference correction transfer circuit 242 which multiplies the output signal A,,. from the water vapor correction block 174 by the transfer function Y,,,,- to yield an appropriate correction signal A,,.Y,, for the sample gas component X processing block 182.

In the embodiment of FIG. 17, the output signal for sample gas component X, is compensated for spectrum interference due to the presence of a concentration of the sample gas component X, in the sample cell, and conversely, the output signal for sample gas X, is compensated for spectrum interference due to the presence ofa concentration of a sample gas component X, in the sample cell. More specifically, an output line 243 of the sample gas component X, processing block 178 is connected to the subtractive terminal of the output operational amplifier 226 of the sample gas component X processing block 182 through an interference correction transfer circuit 244 which multiplies the output signal A of the sample gas X processing block 178 by transfer function Y,, to provide an appropriate signal for compensating the output signal of the sample gas component X processing block 182 for the interference caused by the concentration of sample gas component X Conversely, an output line 246 of the sample gas component X, processing block 182 is connected to the subtractive terminal of the output operational amplifier 212 of the sample gas component X, processing block 178 through an interference correction transfer circuit 248 which multiplies the output signal A of the sample gas X processing block 182 by transfer function Y to provide an appropriate signal for compensating the output signal of the sample gas component X, processing block 178 for the interference caused by the concentration of sample gas component X,,.

The processing system of FIG. 17 may be zeroed by adjustment of the variable potentiometers 186, 204 and 220. Since the adjustment of each sample gas component affects the readout of the other sample gas components, the zeroing sequence is normally repeated a sufficient number of times so as to converge the output readings to zero, or acceptably near zero, so that acceptably small zero reading errors are achieved. It is preferred, particularly when an increased number of sample gas components are to be measured, to generally use the zeroing procedure as follows: The zeroing potentionemter of the processing block for the gaseous component which is least influenced by, and has the greatest influence on, the other gaseous components of the mixture is preferably adjusted list so that the meter reading for that gaseous component is zero. Secondly, the potentiometer of the processing gas for the gaseous component which is next to the least influenced by, and has the next to the greatest influence on the other gaseous components, is adjusted to a zero reading on the meter. The process is repeated for each of the gases in sequence generally in accordance with the above criteria. Of course, the zeroing procedure may be varied to achieve convergence as rapidly as possible. By way of illustration, consider an automobile exhaust gas sample containing water vapor, hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen which is to be analyzed to determine the concentrations of hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and the nitrides of oxygen. General accordance with the aforementioned zeroing criteria, it is preferred to initially adjust the output signals of the carbon dioxide and water vapor processing blocks to zero since they are the least influenced by the other gaseous components and have the greatest influence on the other gaseous components. Thereafter, the processing blocks for carbon monoxide, the hydrocarbons, and the oxides of ni trogen are zeroed in sequence. After the first zeroing sequence, the sequence is repeated until sufficient zeroing convergence is attained so that the deviations of the meter readings from zero are suitably small. Of course, the manual zeroing proceeding described above can be readily implemented by digital computers through programming techniques which are well known to the art.

In FIG. 18, another circuit for compensating for spectrum interferences is illustrated. In the previous embodiment shown in FIG. 17, appropriately weighted quantities representative of the interfering contribution of each of the interfering gases are subtracted from the output signals for each of the gases. In the system of FIG. 18, a generalized scheme is disclosed wherein quantities representative of the transmittances of the mixture at selected bands are converted into logarithmic-related values, appropriately weighted, and summed to provide output signals which are representative of the concentrations of the respective gaseous components, and are compensated for spectrum interferences.

In essence, a solution to a system of simultaneous equations is obtained by the above described steps which generate the desired output signals representative of the concentration of the gases. The generation of the simultaneous equations and the manner in which the solution is obtained can be seen as follows: Let v v be distinct wavelength bands of infrared energy (relatively narrow) at which gaseous components I, N of the gaseous mixture of N gases have their principal absorptions. The transmission 1 in wavelength band v,(i=l, ,N) when agasj U=l, ,N) ofconcentration w; is present in an optical path is given by Beers law to be:

IU=XP[IUWJS] where k is the nominal absorption coefficient of gasj in wavelength band v. and s is the length of the absorb ing path. The transmission I; in wavelength band v, when the mixture of N pure gases is in the path is the product Substitution of the above equations relates the trans mission I,- to the individual gas concentrations.

Taking the natural logarithm of both sides of the above yields which is a system of simultaneous linear equations which may be solved by any known method. For example, let Log t denote the column vector whose elements are log 1, (i=1, ,N), W the column vector whose elements are the w and K to be the N-by-N matrix [k Then the above equation can be rewritten Log 1 sKW whose solution, assuming K is nonsingular, is

W l/s)K Log Denote the elements of K as c,,- (i,'r=l, ,N).

Then the spectrum interference conpensation equation is:

Consider that the only quantities needed to obtain the gas concentrations W W2. ,w are the transmission values r r .l in spectral bands v,, v v 

1. A spectrophotometer for analyzing a fluid to determine the concentration of a component therein comprising: means providing a component signal which is related to the concentration of a component of said fluid; means providing a reference signal; means for determining a ratio of said component signal with respect to said reference signal including amplifying means having an input terminal for sequentially receiving said component signal and said reference signal, and an output terminal providing a component ratio signal representative of said ratio of said component signal with respect to said reference signal, variable transfer means connected between said input terminal and said output terminal to provide a feedback signal at said input terminal, means for providing a standard signal means for determining the difference between said standard signal and said signal at said output terminal and for providing a difference signal representative thereof, and means for adjusting said variable transfer means in accordance with said difference signal when said reference signal is received at said input terminal so that said signal at said output terminal is adjusted by said feedback signal to approach said standard signal in value when said reference signal is received at said input terminal, said feedback signal remaining substantially constant when said component signal is received by said input terminal, whereby said component ratio signal is provided at said output terminal; and means for subtracting said standard signal from said component ratio signal to provide a component concentration signal having a magnitude of zero when there is no concentration of said component and having a magnitude greater than zEro representing the concentration of said component when there is a concentration of said component.
 1. A spectrophotometer for analyzing a fluid to determine the concentration of a component therein comprising: means providing a component signal which is related to the concentration of a component of said fluid; means providing a reference signal; means for determining a ratio of said component signal with respect to said reference signal including amplifying means having an input terminal for sequentially receiving said component signal and said reference signal, and an output terminal providing a component ratio signal representative of said ratio of said component signal with respect to said reference signal, variable transfer means connected between said input terminal and said output terminal to provide a feedback signal at said input terminal, means for providing a standard signal means for determining the difference between said standard signal and said signal at said output terminal and for providing a difference signal representative thereof, and means for adjusting said variable transfer means in accordance with said difference signal when said reference signal is received at said input terminal so that said signal at said output terminal is adjusted by said feedback signal to approach said standard signal in value when said reference signal is received at said input terminal, said feedback signal remaining substantially constant when said component signal is received by said input terminal, whereby said component ratio signal is provided at said output terminal; and means for subtracting said standard signal from said component ratio signal to provide a component concentration signal having a magnitude of zero when there is no concentration of said component and having a magnitude greater than zEro representing the concentration of said component when there is a concentration of said component.
 2. A spectrophotometer according to claim 1 wherein said variable transfer means is an electrically-variable resistor.
 3. A spectrophotometer according to claim 2 wherein said electrically variable resistor is a photocell, and said means for adjusting said variable transfer means is a radiant source in operative relationship with said photocell which is intensity-varied in accordance with said difference signal.
 4. A spectrophotometer according to claim 1 wherein said means for determining the difference between said standard signal and said signal at said output terminal is a differential operational amplifier having a subtractive input terminal, an additive input terminal, and an output terminal with said reference signal and said component signal being received at one of said input terminals, said standard signal being received at the other of said input terminals, and said difference signal being provided at said other output terminal.
 5. A spectrophotometer according to claim 1 wherein said means for providing said component signal includes detector means for providing a signal representing the absorption of said fluid at a predetermined wave length, means for determining the background radiation at said detector means, and means for subtracting said background radiation from said detector means signal to provide said component signal. 